To slow the spread of the coronavirus, everyone is highly encouraged to practice social distancing for the foreseeable future. The long-term effects of the pandemic are expected to change markets and push digital commerce.
Businesses that adapt to the next normal first will have a great advantage over their competitors. Your website is going to play an even more important role in your marketing plan, so now is the time to invest in some web development.
WHAT IS WEB DEVELOPMENT?
Web development is what you do to make your website better. It deals with everything going on behind the scenes that make your site stand out among your competitors. It helps improve performance and the overall user experience.
In the industry, “web development” means the back-end parts of the site make up the foundation of the site.
There’s plenty of web development solutions for businesses both big and small. Some projects require a large team of developers while others might need one permanent member who can contract out the different aspects like graphic design or a systems technician. When it comes down to it, web development is a team effort.
When developing a website from scratch, a project can span from a single page of text to internet-based applications, social network services or E-commerce based platforms.
E-COMMERCE
The basics of E-commerce are pretty simple. They’re defined as any type of transaction using online services to buy or sell anything over the internet.
It utilizes technologies like mobile commerce, electric funds transfer, supply chain management, internet marketing, and online transaction processing. E-commerce makes online shopping possible for any type of retail sales from web sites and apps.
If you’re looking to expand your business model to incorporate e-commerce there are a few things you can do to ensure success:
- Know what you’re selling
- Know your demographic
- Establish a brand
- Have a good content strategy
- Figure out your product categories
- Write good descriptions of your products
- Make sure your products are well photographed
- Handle the logistics of shipping and receiving
Finally, it’s important to use the right e-commerce platform. There are plenty to choose from, but each has its own strengths and weaknesses. A web development company like Site Hub is a great place to get advice on the best fit for your business.
FRONT-END DEVELOPMENT
Using coding languages like HTML, CSS, and Javascript, front-end design is responsible for establishing the website’s customer interaction. Every menu, font, color, and slider you see on the internet is made up of these three languages.
In addition to coding languages, front end developers need to be use frameworks like:
- Bootstrap
- Foundation
- AngularJS
- EmberJS
- And Backbone
Use these to make sure all of your website content looks great, no matter what type of device it’s being used on.
Utilizing these tools, front-end developers work closely with designers to create teams that can help identify opportunities for excellence while in the prototyping phase.
BACK END DEVELOPMENT
Back end support is a crucial part of the functionality of websites and web-based applications. It provides code that connects the page to a database, handles user connections, and allows applications to function, all while working seamlessly with front-end to bring the final product to the user.
Just like front-end, back end uses specific coding languages:
- PHP
- Java
- .Net C#
- VB
- C#
- Ruby
- Python
- SQL
- & Javascript
These coding languages make the website work. They power the functionality and logic on the application while staying hidden from the user. It’s a thankless job, but a VERY important part of the process.
Some common projects that back end takes care of are:
Writing API’s
Database management coding
Data Architecture
Business processes.
There are many other aspects that back end development takes care of, but just like everything else, its project-specific.
CONCLUSION
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is retreating to the safety of the internet. Although not uncommon before, most companies are shifting to an online presence approach to adapt to the changing landscape.
At first, everyone thought the coronavirus would burn itself out, but with new infection rate numbers climbing every day, it’s important to steel yourself for the new normal.
By investing in web development now, you can put yourself ahead of the curve and continue to do business as usual, or even better than before.
Leave a comment below or reach out on our contact page if you’d like to see how Site Hub can help your business grow during these tough times.
